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Column of Honor: 12.21.11: Reckonings (ROH Final Battle 2011 Preview)

December 21, 2011 | Posted by Ari Berenstein

Hey everyone, welcome to a special Wednesday edition of the Column. It’s time for Ring of Honor’s annual year-end major event, Final Battle 2011. This year it runs on a Friday, December 23rd, 2011. So this column is hitting a few days early to get everyone ready for the show with an extensive preview of the entire card.


=Final Battle Reckonings=

If there is one thing in common with the top matches on the Final Battle 2011 line-up it is that they all involve the idea of bringing conflicts to a reckoning.

A reckoning is a settlement of accounts, a bringing to a head of the tension and friction that has been building up between two forces and finding a resolution between two parties. It is judgment. It is retribution.

Reckoning is coming for Davey Richards, Eddie Edwards, Kevin Steen, Steve Corino, Charlie Haas, Shelton Benjamin, Jay and Mark Briscoe, Jay Lethal, Mike Bennett and El Generico. All of these men will be involved in wrestling matches that can give them the chance for their retribution, to exact the payment they feel so richly deserving of achieving. Not all of them will achieve the resolution they desire from that reckoning, because their positions will put them in opposition against each other. Still, the time is upon them to take that opportunity and do what is necessary so that it ends up in their favor.

=**=

What a year it has been for The American Wolves, each of them managing to win Ring of Honor’s top prize, the World Title. Eddie Edwards was the darling underdog that made good. Davey Richards was the man most expected to become champion and someone who capitalized on opportunity when it was thrust upon him. Both have worn the championship belt with honor and pride, working through the trials and tribulations of defending the title.

For Eddie, that meant winning Survival of the Fittest 2010 with a separated shoulder, thus earning his title match. He received that shot at Manhattan Mayhem IV and unseated Roderick Strong, who had been champion for six months. It was a feel-good moment for all involved and one celebrated by Edwards’ own tag partner Davey Richards, who wrapped the championship belt around Eddie and gave him a warm and welcome embrace of friendship.

Immediately Eddie Edwards undertook an ambitious title defense schedule….and the challenges were steep. He wrestled against Christopher Daniels, Chris Hero and a re-match against Roderick Strong. Each of those bouts tested Edwards’ skill, heart, stamina and will. However, the biggest challenge was the one that hasn’t happened yet. It became the elephant in the room, hanging over Eddie Edwards’ championship run…or at least in his own mind.

Edwards and Richards had been champions together throughout much of 2009, but they knew that each had a separate hunt. The journey to win singles gold took them down a path that meant they would inevitably have to wrestle each other. Davey Richards had a future ROH World Title shot in his back pocket. However, it was a title match he did not want to enact until he felt he was truly prepared for it. So Richards spent much of the early part of the year training hard, working on different disciplines and aspects of his in-ring game. Then, when his own tag team partner won the title, Richards announced that this was Eddie’s time and that he wanted to give his brother wolf the opportunity to live out his dream. The inference was that Richards would hold off on his title aspirations to give Edwards the chance to be a successful champion.

However, Edwards took some offense to that decision. Deep down inside, he claimed, he wanted a match against Davey Richards. He needed a match against his former tag partner, so that he could truly know, for himself, that he was a deserving champion and the best wrestler in the world. Eddie had to know, had to put himself to the test. Initially Richards was hesitant, at first refusing to discuss the possibility when ROH Executive Producer Jim Cornette broached the subject at Honor Takes Center Stage Chapter Two. However, Eddie Edwards forced the issue, repeatedly asking Richards to wrestle him.

In the meantime, tiny cracks began to surface in the relationship between the two men—small examples of disagreement or tension. They may have been isolated incidents, but taken together over the course of several months they provided a case for the idea that something was amiss. It was most apparent in tag matches, when in the climactic moments one or the other fell just short of the victory; or when Richards would come out to save Edwards from gang attacks. Edwards would feel chagrined because as ROH World Champion he felt that he could take care of himself. He didn’t need his brother wolf to look out for him and be his protector—he could protect himself. For Richards’ sake, he was just looking out for one of his own and couldn’t imagine why Edwards had been so offended by his actions.

Finally, Richards agreed to a ROH World Title match. If that was what Edwards wanted, he would give his brother the battle of his Ring of Honor career. So they battled, an epic title match at Best of the World 2011 at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City. They threw everything at each other, exchanging strike-for-strike, submission-for-submission. They tested the boundaries of their physical conditioning and health. In the end, Davey Richards proved himself to be the best wrestler on that given night. He overpowered and dominated Edwards with brutal kicks, knocking him unconscious with a massive punt to the head. It was the strike that gave him the ROH World Title.

The emotional post-match celebration and ceremony followed, similar to the one Edwards had back in March. However, this time it was Eddie Edwards who wrapped the championship belt around his tag partner. It was Eddie Edwards who had to step aside and support his brother wolf. Edwards did so willingly and graciously. He gave Richards a great deal of respect and credit for reaching his career goal, even if it came at his expense.

As the months wore on, The Wolves returned to their alliance, born in the pack and bred through their hunts together. The friendship and loyalty between Richards and Edwards seemed to be okay, but if one looked closer little pieces of friction and strain became more apparent once more. The highest profile evidence was the incident at No Escape where Edwards hurt Davey Richards’ protégé Kyle O’Reilly. It was a match between mentor and pupil pitting the dominant and now veteran American Wolves tag team against the hot young team of Future Shock, Adam Cole and O’Reilly. After a fantastic and physical battle where Richards did not take it easy on his student, it was Edwards who may have crossed a line by holding onto the Achilles Lock long after the point of submission.

The problem was that the time keeper had been knocked down and thus there was no one available to ring the closing bell. Edwards kept the Achilles Lock on, knowing that the match wasn’t over until that bell was sounded. The referee had to pull Edwards off, a desperate act to save O’Reilly’s legs. Edwards was very apologetic after the match, as he knew that he had lost himself to the heat of the battle. However, Richards was not happy with Edwards’ actions.

Eventually this situation was smoothed over, but it became apparent that Richards and Edwards were not just growing apart, but moving away from each other. Richards had established his own training squad consisting of his trainer Tony Kozina, O’Reilly and some of his other martial arts coaches, dubbing them “Team Richards”. Eddie Edwards was a welcome part of that team, but once he received another ROH World Title opportunity (via a major victory over Roderick Strong at Death Before Dishonor IX), he knew that he could not train with them anymore. Edwards had to leave that camp in order to prepare for the inevitable rematch. It was the smart decision; really the only decision he could have made.

The problem came not from Edwards leaving Richards’ training base, but in his selection of coach and how he brought it about. Richards and Edwards had long discussed the possibility of training with Dan Severn, an MMA legend and also a very good professional wrestler. He was a multi-time UFC tournament champion going back to the early days of that promotion, and had also been a long-time holder of the NWA Heavyweight Championship. Severn had much knowledge and wisdom to share about both of these sports. Richards had wanted to go train with Severn, but his commitments with Japan (wrestling for New Japan Pro Wrestling) prevented him from doing so. However, Eddie Edwards was still available and so he took it upon himself to travel to Severn’s camp and begin training. Richards felt a sort of betrayal for that decision, but for Edwards, it was just good business and common sense to take the opportunity in front of him.

Training with Dan Severn has paid immediate dividends for Edwards, as Severn has helped sharpen his submission tool-set. Aside from the Achilles Lock, he has added the Dragon Sleeper to his repertoire, perhaps as a counter-measure against Richards own array of submission holds. More than moves however, Severn apparently has been changing Edwards’ fighting mentality. He has been honing his killer instinct and his drive to succeed. It may be the final piece of the puzzle that Edwards needs in order to win.

Therefore there is the reckoning coming between Richards and Edwards; between what each of them wants for the other and what each of them wants for themselves; between what each of them needs to do in order to prove that he, and not anyone else is the best; between the two wolves in the constant battle to determine who is the alpha wolf in their pack (if there even is a pack anymore). Final Battle 2011 is the third singles match between the two wrestlers with each of them having won one match (Edwards defeated Richards in the TV Title tournament finals in 2011), but if anything, it feels like this is the only meeting between the two that matters.

=**=

Kevin Steen has lived in exile for the past twelve months of his life. At Final Battle 2010, Steen lost a match against his former tag partner-turned-bitter adversary El Generico where as a consequence of the defeat he could no longer appear in Ring of Honor. It was the nadir for Steen and for his then-mentor-in-evil Steve Corino.

As a result, Steen has had to beg, borrow, steal, like and kill from everyone in his path in order to come to this moment, his one final chance to return to a promotion that he feels he rightfully deserves to be a part of, even if just to destroy its foundations from the inside.

Being on the losing side of the equation was a wake-up call for Steve Corino, who came to the conclusion that he was an evil person doing evil actions for far too long and that he needed to make amends and change his ways. He felt the burden of being responsible for twisting Steen’s mind and that being the spark which lit the fuse and blew up and cost Steen and him everything. Corino’s 2011 has been a path to redemption, even going so far as to enlist the help of Jimmy Jacobs as his guru. Both men have done evil actions and knew they needed to change. Meanwhile, Steen’s 2011 has been a continuation of his sliding down the rabbit hole-further and further down in the wonderland of his own insanity and lust for violence and chaos.

Steen spent much of this past year working other independent promotions, from low-profile promotions to higher-profile ones, from Canadian and all over the United States. Most prominently, Steen became the MVP of Pro Wrestling Guerrilla, which had been his original U.S. home promotion and where he received his biggest opportunities in terms of exposure, title victories and career success. Steen not only wrestled multiple times on PWG shows (thus proving his physical conditioning and his ability to work multiple opponents in different styles of wrestling bouts) but he would eventually become PWG Heavyweight Champion, carrying the belt from July 23rd through October 22nd of this year, losing the belt to, you guessed it, El Generico.

Ring of Honor officials felt some peace with Steen gone from the promotion, but that blissful feeling was soon shattered by the rude awakening of his return at Best in the World 2011, six months after his career-ending loss. Steve Corino had brought back Steen in his well-meaning but ill-conceived attempt at ameliorating the mistakes of his past. Steen had convinced Corino that he too wanted to make amends. So despite the protests and warnings from ROH officials including Jim Cornette, Corino told everyone that he was going to bring Kevin Steen back ROH on that night.

So he did. Steen emerged from out of the audience on the balcony of The Hammerstein Ballroom, to a massive and raucous reaction from the fans in attendance. Despite his madness and debauchery, the ROH faithful couldn’t help but love and appreciate Steen when they saw him once again. It’s difficult to tell a great hero story without a formidable villain or adversary and Steen is the villain fans seem to love to cheer for and root on, wanting to know and to witness just what he will do next.

What Steen did next was to turn his back on his own mentor. He took the microphone and told Ring of Honor to go screw. Then he threw down on Jimmy Jacobs, knocking him off his feet. Finally he smashed Corino with a massive Package Piledriver on the canvas as dozens of ROH students, security and an apoplectic Jim Cornette rushed ringside to try to contain Steen’s madness. Steen spat at Cornette and had to be carried out of the building by his hands and feet. As a result, Cornette vowed on his mother’s grave that Steen would never be back in ROH again.

Steen also memorably got himself booked on an EVOLVE show. The promotion, booked and headed by former ROH booker Gabe Sapolsky, brought Steen in amid the chaos of his return to Ring of Honor. He was prominently featured on that show, wrestling and doing commentary on several matches, but most importantly was his initial appearance on the show. That is when Steen got on the mic and filed a litany of grievances against Ring of Honor in a “shoot” promo, taking on Davey Richards, but especially Jim Cornette regarding the way business was being conducted under the new ownership of Sinclair Broadcast Group. Steen was upset at the way come talents were being pushed aside, like Colt Cabana (who is no longer being used by ROH and revealed on his own podcast that he did not receive a new contract offer from ROH. Later developments of negotiations had happened but fell through) and even El Generico.

Steen seemed to take on the role of the voice of frustrated ROH and independent fans that had followed ROH and poured their love and passion (and their money) for their particular hobby and had been in some way dissatisfied by the changes brought about by corporate ownership (though, really, ROH fans and independent hardcores have been the toughest critics of ROH for many years, even during Gabe Sapolsky’s booking run). Whether or not this is a planned part of the angle of Steen’s exile and return and if it plays a larger part of ROH’s direction in 2012 is uncertain right now, but what is clear is that Steen hit upon something really important in the collective unconscious of his fan base and the larger independent professional wrestling audience. He has connected with them like the way that many of the bigger independent stars of the past decade (such as Bryan Danielson, CM Punk, Samoa Joe, Nigel McGuinness ad the list goes on) have done—by reaching out to them, being as real to himself as humanly possible in this form of entertainment and by being great and doing things the best to his ability.

The threat of Steen’s return was ever-present—as after that the vampire has been invited into the house it is free to come-and-go as it chooses. Steen made another return to ROH at Death Before Dishonor IX, causing a whole mess of trouble in the Jacobs-Generico match. In what was a line crossed too far, he almost got his hands on Cary Silkin, the former owner and now ambassador of the promotion. Cornette lost his cool so badly in the entire fracas that he threw a punch at Steen, opening him up to litigation and giving Steen the leverage needed to negotiate his way back to ROH.

The offer Cornette gave Steen was thought up by Steve Corino. By now Corino had realized the miscalculation he made in bringing him back into ROH—that Steen wasn’t ready for redemption. Corino knew he had created a monster, so it was up to him to kill it. Corino challenged Steen to this match at Final Battle 2011–and if Steen wins it, he’s back in.

However, Corino is ready to ensure that it doesn’t happen. This is his reckoning with his past, his present and his future with ROH. What some forget is that Corino was a part Ring of Honor right from the very beginning, doing commentary on the first shows and then appearing for them off-and-on many times throughout the past ten years. He fought against Homicide in a brutal and bloody years-long rivalry. He created The Group stable with himself, CW Anderson, Samoa Joe and Simply Luscious as a reactionary group to The Prophecy, but also to cause trouble for his own purposes. Then there was the madness with Steen and the wars against El Generico and Colt Cabana. Corino has spent many years inflicting and propagating evil in Ring of Honor. Finally, this is his chance to do some good for the promotion.

Kevin Steen wrestles at a Final Battle event once more, and again it is a match against a former tag-partner-now-turned enemy. Steen and Steve Corino broke bread together for a common cause, but now all they have in common is one match and the desire to make each other pay for the sins of the past. Reckoning between these two men is long overdue, and this is their opportunity to deliver it upon each other.

=**=

The Ring of Honor World Tag Team Titles are at stake at Final Battle 2011, as champions Wrestling’s Greatest Tag Team of Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin wrestle Jay and Mark Briscoe, who are six-time champions and ROH’s most winning and successful tag team in company history. This match is the culmination of bad-blood that stems from several attacks by The Briscoes. First The Briscoes used a set of chairs to beat down Haas and Benjamin after a four-team elimination match at Best in the World 2011. That attack led to immediate vows of retaliation by Charlie Haas (who has shown a tendency towards hot-headedness when his family and his friends are attacked).

There was a series of tit-for-tat exchanges between the two teams over the next few months, both on house shows and on the television tapings. Haas and Benjamin cost The Briscoes their match and a possible tag title shot wrestling against the Bravado Brothers at Tag Team Turmoil in July. Just a month ago at the SBG tapings The Briscoes and Haas and Benjamin brawled outside the building and then The Briscoes later attacked Benjamin with a chair during a match between WGTT and The All-Night Express. That chair shot seemed to shake up Benjamin badly, thus providing a possible weak point for The Briscoes to take advantage of during their title match.

Interestingly enough, the interactions between the two teams began with respect, as both teams wrestled a sporting but competitive match for the number-one contender spot at Ninth Anniversary Show back in February in Chicago. Haas and Benjamin won that match and afterwards both teams shook hands, hugged and raised each other’s arms in respect and appreciation. Perhaps though, there was a bit of jealousy and resentment from Jay and Mark in that they felt they were being supplanted by those men in what they felt was their home promotion (a feeling which Jay expounded upon in his “Day One” promo).

Haas and Benjamin also had their first defense of their championship run against The Briscoes at Revolution: Canada. Now their title run could be in jeopardy against Jay and Mark and this defense could be their last.

The Briscoes turned their back on the fans back in March and decided they would just do whatever they wanted to do and to hell with the consequences. Ever since then they have been tough to deal with and their behavior and attitude only gets more dangerous. Haas and Benjamin will have to reckon with a very tough and rejuvenated Briscoe family if they want to keep their tag titles going into 2012.

=**=

As for the Ring of Honor Television Title, the three-way elimination match is the terminus for the champion and the two challengers who have been pressing him for the last several months, especially on the Sinclair Broadcast Group television series. Jay Lethal took the TV Title in an overtime period of a championship match against El Generico on the second episode of the SBG series. Since then he has been the poster boy for the TV title division, the focus on vignettes on the show and on videowires. He believes he can take the TV Title and apply that success towards a future ROH World Title reign. It’s a future goal that is seemingly a long way off and for now he must focus on defending the gold he does have-or at least, going the distance and retaining via a draw, as he has been wont to do lately.

For El Generico, it was a shock of shocks losing the title on his first-ever defense after winning the belt in June. He went to the fifteen-minute time-limit and would have retained the title. Yet, he lost the title after choosing to be sporting and to accept the overtime period as offered by Jim Cornette. A follow-up re-match also went the distance but did not have the opportunity to be restarted due to the involvement of Mike Bennett. Now El Generico has the opportunity to win back what probably he shouldn’t have lost in the first-place. In the process Generico must move beyond time-limits and focus on what has always brought him the win-a resolve to fight back against seemingly insurmountable odds.

For Mike Bennett, a year’s worth of boastful claims of winning a Ring of Honor title in his first year has come down to one more match and one more title shot before the end of the year and the end of that road. It started as a guarantee to win the ROH World Title in one year and when it became clear that wasn’t happening any time soon the claim conveniently expanded to include all ROH championships.

Of course, Bennett also claims that he is the rightful television champion as a result of his first TV Title match against Jay Lethal. That bout went the fifteen minute distance and Bennett did not win the title because he refused the opportunity to restart the match. Instead, he walked away and claimed that Todd Sinclair should have stopped the match when he had Lethal grounded and was punching him. However, Lethal was protecting himself and almost none of Bennett’s shots broke through his guard. Lethal also reversed position because of Bennett’s own fault in stopping his offense to complain to the referee.

There was no justification for stopping the match. At the bottom of it, professional wrestling is not MMA and referee stoppages are fairly rare, even for Ring of Honor. Bennett’s effort wasn’t going to cut it as far as getting a referee, any referee to stop the match and award him the title. Regardless, Bennett has gotten his way and Todd Sinclair will not be the ref for this title bout. Whether or not that makes any real difference in the end is up for debate. However, Final Battle 2011 provides for Bennett the opportunity to come to terms with his own actions and his own boasts. He can shut up the detractors and stuff it down the throat of Lethal and Generico by winning the TV Title on this night. It is going to be an “all-in” situation and Bennett is not backing down, having promised to bring someone special to ringside to watch him win. It has been all but confirmed through official channels that someone will be Maria Kanellis, Bennett’s real girlfriend and former WWE Divas talent. If Bennett wins in front of his girl, it’s going to be a special sort of joy for him…but imagine the embarrassment should he lose and lose big with her right up close and personal.

As for Lethal, he has something left to prove as well. As noted, Lethal has not decisively defended the TV Title through winning outright via pinfall or submission. The defenses against Generico and Bennett have gone the distance, and while the champion retains on a time-limit draw, there are some who doubt Lethal’s ability to properly defend the title without that stipulation. There is seemingly no time-limit for this bout, or at least it will be longer than fifteen-minutes due to not having the limitations of television air time. Now Lethal can come to a reckoning with himself. If he can defeat properly the two men whom he has gone the distance, then he proves to himself that he is a worthy champion that can gain the clear and definitive victory on his own, without the support of the rules and regulations of his title division.

=**=

All roads travelled this year by the above competitors lead to one final destination. Final Battle 2011 is the be-all, end-all for their past year in Ring of Honor. Some will find victory at the end of that road, others defeat. Some will earn payback and revenge, others will have retribution denied and turned upon them. It’s up to them now to get there and earn it.


=Final Battle 2011 Match-by-Match Preview: December 23rd, 2011 New York City, NY=

Available on internet Pay Per View through Go Fight Live.

Bell Time: 7:30 PM
Manhattan Center (Hammerstein Ballroom)
311 West 34th St.
New York City, NY, 10001

World Title Match- Richards vs. Edwards III- Davey Richards with Team Richards © defends vs. “Die Hard” Eddie Edwards with UFC Hall of Famer Dan “The Beast” Severn

I’m interested to see if this follows the same-pattern as the Best in the World 2011 match or if they go a different route. Severn in Edwards’ head may mean the momentum and control goes to him most of the way. I’m also half-way wary of some angle happening with Severn and Richards—maybe a confrontation, maybe Severn gets involved in the match after a ref bump. Or they could play it straight in the match and some kind of storyline twist could occur in the post-match that changes the nature of the relationship between Edwards and Richards. I expect this one to get plenty of time, but perhaps not go as long as BitW’s thirty-six minute match. To me, a title switch is possible but not likely. Richards should be in for a longer title run and Edwards has been moving towards a heel turn, so another devastating title loss could provide the proper trigger for it.

World Tag Team Title Match-Wrestling’s Greatest Tag Team of Shelton Benjamin & Charlie Haas © defends vs. Jay & Mark Briscoe

Never discount The Briscoes winning the ROH World Tag Team Titles. They did it at Final Battle 2009, which was also around the time of new exposure possibilities through the debut of internet Pay Per View. The Briscoes could get that opportunity again here. They are the franchise of the promotion at this point and deservedly so. However, Haas and Benjamin are the current lead faces and Cornette’s favorite sons. I don’t see them losing the belts just yet. Something to look out for is the ROH fans’ reactions to both teams. NYC is just about unpredictable when it comes to their position on The Briscoes. Sometimes they love them for being bad-asses, sometimes they hate them for being southern (Delawarian) rednecks. They adored Jay and Mark last September for Ladder War three against ANX. Who knows how they’ll react to them in this one?

Three-Way Elimination, World TV Title Match-Jay Lethal ©defends vs. El Generico vs. “The Prodigy” Mike Bennett with Brutal Bob

I am conflicted. I love Generico. I like Lethal. I in no way, shape or form mind looking at Maria Kanellis. But this is a match involving Mike Bennett. What do I do? Can I just avert my eyes when he’s in the ring? Pretend in my mind’s eye that he isn’t there? This could spell the end of The Bennett Boycott…no! I am being tested. I am being tempted. I will not take the apple and eat it! THE BENNETT BOYCOTT LIVES ON IN THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF ALL GOOD-HEARTED AND INNOCENT SMART MARK RING OF HONOR FANS EVERYWHERE!

By the way everyone, get ready for Mike Bennett to win the TV Title.

Grudge Match-Steve Corino vs. Kevin Steen
*If Steen wins he is reinstated.
**Jimmy Jacobs is the guest referee
***Jim Cornette will be in attendance at ringside

As per a final news update from the Ring of Honor website, this match is now officially No-DQ and both Jim Cornette AND Cary Silkin will be at ringside to watch the match.

I can’t imagine Steen not winning this match-because if he loses, where does this go? How does he get back to ROH? There’s no way the booker don’t realize how valuable he is to the promotion as a top rogue and antagonist for 2012. So the matter becomes how one gets there. Some have the sneaking suspicious of a heel turn from Jimmy Jacobs as special referee. It is certainly possible, as is this being a huge set-up between Steen, Jacobs and Corino concocted to get Steen back in full-time and officially so. Steen wants Cornette there to watch and soak in the embarrassment of whatever he has up his sleeve and my guess is by the end of the match that is exactly what will happen and there won’t be anything Cornette can do about it.

Roderick Strong Invitational Challenge-Roderick Strong with Truth Martini vs. ????

The deal is that Strong cannot wrestle for the ROH World Title for the remainder of the year due to repeated losses and dropping in the contenders ranking, so he issued an open challenge to anyone to wrestle him here. The goal is for him to upstage the main-event and prove he is the one deserving of the spotlight. That’s good enough motivation to go with an open spot here. It really could be anyone that ROH brings in, though given this is their biggest show of the year bringing out Andy Ridge or Grizzly Redwood as the surprise opponent just isn’t going to cut it. I have faith in ROH though-they have been known to come through on big surprises and big moments on their biggest shows and while I don’t know it for sure, this just feels to me like they have a plan and are prepared for something special for this segment. I hope I’m not overhyping myself on this one, but considering I personally am pulling for the opponent to be Nigel McGuinness or Low Ki, perhaps I am doing just that…just a touch. Also don’t forget Colt Cabana and Chris Hero could be options as both are seemingly in the wind and could resurface here. But maybe I’m still overhyping myself.Regardless of opponent, Strong’s greatest strength is his in-ring game and he is as sound as it comes. His moves and combos always pop the crowd big time whether he is a face or a heel and I think he can do his kind of match against anyone.

Tag Team Gauntlet Match-The All Night Express vs. Future Shock vs. The Bravados vs. The Young Bucks vs. Caprice Coleman & Cedric Alexander
*The winning team will receive a future shot at the World Tag Team Titles

Before we go any further, I just want to pause to appreciate that there are FIVE full-time tag teams booked in this one segment alone, and there are two more tag teams on the card, plus The Wolves and The House of Truth have formed occasional tag teams this year (though we’ll see about Richards and Edwards teaming again after the outcome of tonight’s title match). ROH is still one of the premiere places to showcase tag team wrestling and that has got to mean something to those who know and remember how good tag matches can be.

I tend not to like Gauntlet matches because of the limitations of time that come into play-sometimes otherwise good matches don’t have enough time to be good. There is that possibility here with four rounds of matches to fit in on a hugely stacked lineup. However, the five teams involved in this gauntlet are all talented and either interests me, entertains me, or both. These are young wrestlers who specialize in speed, athleticism and great in-ring action. Many of the possible combinations are going to be at least good given some amount of time and can be very good to epic if given more.

Obviously the Bravados and C&C Wrestle Factory of Coleman and Alexander are the lowest on the “depth chart”, but they each offer lots of potential and provide a certain amount of diversity that differentiates them from the other teams. The Bucks and Future Shock were unreal in their effort at Death Before Dishonor IX and I would not complain about another go at it in one of the rounds here. Cole and O’Reilly have an outstanding issue with The Bucks, but so do The All-Night Express after their recent match in South Carolina, where they took the loss. The ANX have a title shot in their back pocket coming off the “Proving Ground” match on the TV tapings, so while they may get a few wins here I expect another team to win, either The Bucks, Future Shock or perhaps in an ultimate upset, The Bravados (who need the win as recent newswires have hinted more losses means they would be dropped from the active roster).

Special Challenge Match-“Unbreakable” Michael Elgin with Truth Martini vs. TJ Perkins

Elgin is coming hot off the heels of his Survival of the Fittest 2011 tournament win and so expect the push for him to continue by being spotlighted in this match. Perkins will make it fun and interesting with his mix of speed, flying and striking, but Elgin will smash through that offense and overpower him. Truth Maritni will likely get his licks in when he can as well. This is a good undercard match and will work to provide good action, but ultimately is better off more as a means to an end (putting over Elgin and preparing him for his World Title opportunity in early 2012).

Special Challenge Match-Tommaso Ciampa with The Embassy vs. Jimmy Rave (?)

If the old ROH fan forums were still up there would have been massive throngs of mark-out comments for the return of Jimmy Rave. It’s kind of weird, I know, but Jimmy had gone from massively hated as a pure white-meat babyface, to hated for the right reasons as a lead heel in The Embassy, to having a cult-pop reaction at the tail end of his 2007 run and then a mix of apathy and hope-for-more out of him with his 2008 / 2009 Embassy reprise. Now Rave is back, having gotten his life back together after drug and physical health issues (which he has very publically and honestly discussed). He may have a scruffy facial hair, but he still has some of that edge and x-factor in him, waiting to surface…and that is Jimmy Rave Approved.

Rave said without saying it that he was going to confront Prince Nana and Tomasso Ciampa when he returned on this show. This sets up as New Crown Jewel versus Old Crown Jewel and I like it. Rave may want to prove himself still worthy of the mantle and work his way back into the group, or he may want to show Nana what he missed out on by dropping him from his royal guard. The Embassy has a distinct numbers advantage though, so even if Rave knows the tricks and traps from past servitude with Nana, that doesn’t mean he can’t fall prey to it as well. If this is a match, Rave has some skills, but Ciampa will work the power and strength advantage. It should be interesting to see if this is a one-off encounter and special attraction to put over Ciampa or if it is the start of a bigger angle and more full-time return for Rave in ROH.


As of 12/21/11


=ROH World Champion=

Davey Richards

Champion since 06/26/2011 | 6* successful defenses

Best in the World 2011 defeated Eddie Edwards in New York, NY to win the championship.

Next Defense vs. Eddie Edwards in New York, NY on 12/23/11.


–Davey Richards defeated Tommy End in Barcelona, Spain on 07/04/2011.
–Davey Richards defeated Chase Owens in Kingsport, KY on 08/04/11.*
–Davey Richards defeated Colt Cabana in Carrolton, GA on 08/06.11.
–Davey Richards defeated Roderick Strong in Chicago, Illinois on 08/13/11.
–Davey Richards defeated Daga in Tulancingo, MEX on 10/15/11.
–Davey Richards defeated El Generico in Chicago Ridge, IL on 11/19/11.

* These matches are not as yet officially recognized by Ring of Honor on their records page, but as they did occur as billed “ROH World Title” matches for the live crowd in attendance they are listed here for posterity.


=ROH World Tag Team Champions=

Wrestling’s Greatest Tag Team: Charlie Haas & Shelton Benjamin

Champions since 04/01/2011 | 6 successful defenses

Honor Takes Center Stage Chapter 1 defeated The Kings of Wrestling (Chris Hero & Claudio Castagnoli) in Atlanta, GA to win the championship.

Next Defense vs. Jay & Mark Briscoe in New York, NY on 12/23/11.


–Shelton Benjamin & Charlie Haas defeated Jay & Mark Briscoe in Toronto, ON on 5/7/11.
–Shelton Benjamin & Charlie Haas defeated The Kings of Wrestling (Chris Hero & Claudio Castagnoli), Jay & Mark Briscoe and The All-Night Express (Kenny King & Rhett Titus) in New York City, NY on 06/26/11.
–Shelton Benjamin & Charlie Haas defeated El Generico & Colt Cabana in Richmond, VA on 07/08/11.
–Shelton Benjamin & Charlie Haas defeated The Kings of Wrestling (Chris Hero & Claudio Castagnoli) in Chicago, IL on 08/13/11.
— Shelton Benjamin & Charlie Haas defeated Future Shock (Adam Cole & Kyle O’Reilly) in Collinsville, IL on 11/06/11.
— Shelton Benjamin & Charlie Haas defeated The All Night Express (Kenny King & Rhett Titus) in Chicago Ridge, IL on 11/19/11.


=ROH Television Champion=

Jay Lethal

Champion since 08/13/2011 | 2 successful defenses

Sinclair TV Tapings defeated El Generico in Chicago Ridge, IL to win the championship.

Next Defense vs. El Generico & “The Prodigy” Mike Bennett in New York, NY on 12/23/11.


–Jay Lethal went to a time-limit draw with Mike Bennett in Louisville, KY on 10/01/11.
–Jay Lethal went to a time-limit draw with El Generico in Louisville, KY on 11/05/11.

=Proving Ground Contenders=

These wrestlers have earned a future title shot in the following ROH title divisions through the Proving Ground system.

World Title: None

World Tag Team Title: The All-Night Express (earned on SBG TV tapings, episode airing 12/10/11)

TV Title: Roderick Strong (earned on 11/19/11)

ROH Videowire December 16th, 2011

Well, Steen steals the show again. What a fantastic promo, on a freaking playground no less. And what a visual metaphor, considering Steen has made ROH and all of independent professional wrestling his personal playground in 2011. Great touches like pointing out the unprofessionalism and hypocrisy of ROH officials and the “I star Colt” shirt. And really, Steen going down a slide is epic levels of style. I also like Steen putting over Corino and that it has Corino who has lost touch with whom he is in inside. “It either all comes to an end…or it gets sooooo much worse for everyone else.” GENIUS.

Now…on the other hand, TJ Perkins’ interview. NOT GOOD. It’s not that Perkins is too laid-back, because I actually think that is a pretty interesting take. However, his content comes off as a bit lame and not well delivered. However, at the end he did get serious and speak with conviction, and maybe that’s what he needs to do is just speak with conviction. I liked the idea of what The Bucks were doing in their promo, but it wasn’t executed as well as it could have been. Plus Matt Jackson says “Caprice and Coleman”, when he means Caprice and Alexander. AND… JIMMMMY RAAAAVE! Good to see him back in ROH. Finally, Eddie Edwards delivers a promo that in tone had me thinking of Steve Austin’s words to The Rock at Wrestlemania X-7… “I need to beat you”. I’m thinking about the lengths to which Austin went to win the title and what Edwards might do in this situation.

Inside Ring of Honor Episode 11

Inside Ring of Honor Episode 12


=A Few Words About Daniel Bryan, WWE and The Independent Relevancy=

-I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Daniel Bryan’s WWE World Heavyweight Title win this past weekend at the TLC Pay Per View. Bryan was booked to be successful in his Money in the Bank cash-in…and unlike the last time he did it the win doesn’t seem to be rescinded because his opponent was incapacitated (though truth be told, I expect it to be taken back at any second for exactly that reason).

Now, there is the caveat that this was a Money in the Bank win and the nature of it was such that the title was presented as being gift-wrapped to Bryan as a result of Mark Henry leveling Big Show with a DDT onto the chair. However, none of that is above-and-beyond what other Money in the Bank holders have done to claim the title, going back to Edge (both times), CM Punk (both times) and more recently Kane and The Miz. So this stratagem was fair-play (whether one is a face or heel, opportunity is opportunity), even though it would have been fun to see Daniel Bryan wait it out and challenge for the title at Wrestlemania.

There is also the idea that championship title wins in WWE mean far less now than at any other time in the history of the company. Years of ping-ponging their two major titles back and forth have eroded some of the meaning of working your way up the ladder. For instance, Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart’s title victories meant something real and significant because it took them a long time to work up to that level in WWE. However, that was nearly two decades ago and in an era where there weren’t monthly (and sometimes bi-weekly) Pay Per Views. Our society moves at a much faster pace now…and so do WWE storylines, angles and title changes. It’s a different world, and in that context, Daniel Bryan winning the championship has some currency to the modern audience regardless of means and execution.

The real meaning behind WWE giving Daniel Bryan the title win is the actual decision to do it in the first place. Here is a guy, who like CM Punk, came from the independent wrestling scene and worked his way up. Yes, Daniel Bryan (as Bryan Danielson) did have a WWE developmental contract. Yes he did train at Shawn Michaels’ wrestling school and yes he did receive intense mentoring from William Regal (both of whom have current WWE ties), but Daniel Bryan had to work his butt off for ten years on the independent scene and suffer through some of the most perplexing and ass-backwards booking strategies of his character for the past two years in WWE to get to this point in his career. Yet, when it comes down it, WWE didn’t have to put the World Heavyweight Title on him. They could have never put the title on him during his entire career. But they did.

Just as I wrote three years ago when CM Punk broke through and won the World Heavyweight Title, no matter what happens next, no matter how badly or well they treat his title run, no matter how short or how long that run is or whether or not he loses to Big Show or Hornswoggle, the history books will always read Daniel Bryan was a World Heavyweight Champion. That’s pretty damned special.

It’s also an affirmation, whether the critics and the trolls like it or not, that independent professional wrestling, such as it is, actually has meaning and value to the industry as a whole. There are those fans, on this very website and elsewhere, that have criticized and vilified the independent professional wrestling scene, those who wrestle in it and those who watch it. There are those in positions of power in WWE who over the years behind the scenes and through ventriloquism of the commentary team have repudiated the independents as garbage and meaningless. Today, the scoreboard says otherwise, as it was three years ago when CM Punk won the World Heavyweight Title, as it was ten years ago when the likes of Rob Van Dam, The Dudley Boyz and Taz made good by finding success in mainstream WWE after working hard and proving themselves on the underground and in ECW, as it was countless times with countless other success stories such as Mick Foley, Chris Jericho and The Miz (who lest we forget, worked independents before trying out for Tough Enough).

There have been and will continue to be those wrestlers who started out on the independents who will make a mark, big or small, within WWE when they are signed and then called up. Maybe not all of them will succeed. It is likely that politics, injuries or other ailments can take down a few of them. Then there will be those who persevere, who are willing to make it through the WWE system and show the world that they had that “it” factor and the in-ring abilities all along. I’m hoping fans can see that talent out of Seth Rollins (the former Tyler Black) and Dean Ambrose (the former Jon Moxley) next.

This week began with me abruptly ending my viewing of WWE Monday Night Raw due to the decision to once again put the denigration of Jim Ross up for public spectacle while pushing The Michael Cole Show to the hilt, all within the first fifteen-minutes of the program. It was a not so-subtle-slap to good taste. I felt dirty, the same way I felt dirty for being a fan of professional wrestling when WWE invoked Eddie Guerrero to promote their storylines. I have had enough of that sort of stupidity and insulting programming and in this day and age of one-thousand cable channels and so much varied selection in being able to choose what to watch, I don’t need that kind of stuff and won’t waste my time with it. So I shut off WWE Raw for the entire show and shut of WWE entirely for the week.

So, I was stunned and yet very happy to hear of and then watch Daniel Bryan winning this championship. As we close 2011, Daniel Bryan and CM Punk, Ring of Honor and independent wrestling alumni, are both holding WWE’s major championships. Zack Ryder, who worked harder than he ever had before to establish a fan base and be creative with his “Z: True Long Island Story” YouTube video show, won the U.S. Title. He earned that title win and his current push up the card, much like Dolph Ziggler before him. Cody Rhodes has worked hard and improved and earned his spot as Intercontinental champion. Kofi Kingston and Evan Bourne (though he recently had to pay for his love of synthetic pot with a 30-day suspension and could still lose the straps) remain the tag champions. In the love / hate relationship I’ve had with WWE over watching their programming the past ten years (and a fandom that goes back over twenty-five), that is something that ends up on the “love” side of the equation. Its not something I expect to last, but it is appreciated.

=*****=

-Rhett Titus is apparently hurting, working on a bad knee. He had to pull out of some independent dates and was getting it looked at…so that explains angle with him getting attacked and then coming back to finish the match in North Carolina.

-PWG had a brief Easter-egg throw-in for those ROH fans watching their shows during their December 10th event (titled Fear) in Reseda, CA. After the American Wolves vs. Super Smash Brothers match which Richards and Edwards won, both men refused to shake hands. That is a nod towards this week’s Final Battle 2011 face-off, though perhaps it will also add into PWG angles in 2012 as well. The American Wolves are set to wrestle The Young Bucks at Kurt RusselReunion 3 on January 29th, 2012 in Los Angeles, CA (ROH fans will recall the two teams had some great matches in late 2009 / early 2010 on HDNet).

-ROH has named their Wrestlemania weekend shows in Fort Lauderdale, Florida as “Showdown in the Sun”.


At the beginning of the year, “The Prodigy” Mike Bennett vowed that within one year that he would become the Ring of Honor World Champion. Then he extended it to include ALL ROH Titles. So let’s see how he’s done so far, eh?

ROH World Titles Won: 0
ROH World Tag Team Titles Won: 0
ROH TV Titles Won: 0
Days Left to Reach Goal: 10

Well it all comes down to this for Mike Bennett. He either wins the TV Title in New York City on Friday or the so-called Year of the Prodigy goes down in flames. On the other hand, if Bennett wins, then he makes good on all the braggadocio and the boasting. Supposedly he’ll have his main squeeze on hand to watch him win-and that can either work for him or against him when the moment of truth arrives. Is Maria going to be a distraction to Bennett’s opponents or a distraction to Bennett?

Well, if it shakes out that Bennett does indeed win, I am prepared to accept it and welcome our new supreme overlord. However, behind his back I will insist that I voted for Kodos. If Bennett loses, however, prepare the party poppers and Diet Dr. Pepper because I am going to party like it’s an office Holiday Party!


Twitter me at: http://twitter.com/AriBerenstein.

Stay tuned for a Pro Wrestling Ponderings Podcast with myself, Chris Gee Schoon Tong and Matt Waters previewing Final Battle 2011 and I’d imagine we’ll have another show soon after that covering the year-in-ROH.

-Kevin Ford stays on top of the latest CHIKARA happenings with his DVD reviews for Cibernetico: The Animated Series and High Noon, which has some bonus vignettes including a verrry interesting one with Ultramantis Black…it appears his ride on the technico train could about to be up…

-T.J. Hawke interviews the awesome Sugar Dunkerton, who I hope uses my “Sugar D” Sunny Delight idea for a T-shirt or poster one day soon.

-Ryan Rozanski reviews PWG’s Steen Wolf show with what is apparently a mind-blisteringly awesome Steen / Generico ladder match for the PWG World Title.

-I haven’t plugged Michael Weyer’s writing in a while, which is my fault since I really dig his work. He goes a little Bah-Humbug this holiday season writing about wrestling angles this year that should receive Lumps of Coal. This week he will provide the other side of the equation, the merry and positive things of the past year in wrestling.

-Larry Csonka’s lone independent pick on his Top 10 Wrestlers of 2011 list happens to be Sara Del Rey…and a mighty fine pick that is…

Thanks everyone for reading and for the comments. I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah and Happy Holiday season. The next time you’ll read from me will likely be my annual year-ender Final Column feature…and then early in 2012 I’ll also have my special edition Best of ROH Matches column. Until then,

BROOKLYN!
DAH EM BAH SEE FOR-EVAH!
–Ari–

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Ari Berenstein